By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Senate Wednesday passed for third reading, the bill which seeks for the establishment of the Bitumen Development Commission in Nigeria.
Passage of the bill for third reading by the Senate followed consideration and adoption of reports presented to it by Committee on Solid Minerals Development.
The reports presented by a member of the committee, Senator Diket Plang (APC Plateau Central), recommended that Bitumen Development Commission should be established as proposed by the sponsor of the bill, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC Ondo South ).
Senator Plang informed the Senate that the committee in line with legislative procedures, carried out public hearing on the bill and got overwhelming submissions from critical stakeholders in the country for establishment of the commission as required regulatory body for exploitation, exploration and production of the 42billion tonnes of Bitumen deposits in Nigeria which is the second largest in the world .
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, thanked the sponsor of the bill and the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development for the development – driven initiative.